IRON MAIDEN’S BRUCE DICKINSON REVEALS HIS POST-ASTRAEUS AIRLINES PLAN.

BRUCE DICKINSON

PRESS RELEASE

November 22, 2011.

IRON MAIDEN’S BRUCE DICKINSON REVEALS HIS POST-ASTRAEUS AIRLINES PLAN.

Bruce Dickinson, Iron Maiden singer and airline pilot, will be doing more rather than less in the aviation industry following the closure of Astraeus Airlines with whom he was a Boeing 757 captain.

Gatwick-based Astraeus went into administration on Monday, November 21, 2011 – and by coincidence Dickinson was captain on the very last flight, operated on behalf of bmi, from Jeddah to Manchester.

Bruce Dickinson said: “I’m amused that the less well informed seem to be portraying me as having to resort to busking on the streets following the closure of Astraeus. The more astute members of my circle are aware there’s rather more going on in my world.

“Firstly, I’m already working on a plan to try to save Astraeus, or at least create a new business with new jobs for my friends and former colleagues at Astraeus. This is a serious plan involving people who are very good at their jobs.

“Frankly, now Astraeus has been relieved of the business model imposed upon it by Icelandic owners, who, to be honest, perhaps did not fully appreciate the way the key commercial aviation markets operated, I see the potential for a viable operation should acquisition of the company prove achievable. There is no reason why the original business model, which established Astraeus as possibly the best and most successful organisation in its sector, cannot be resurrected to the benefit of former employees and airline partners and clients alike.

“Secondly, I am also involved in a project which could mean the creation of as many as 1,500 jobs in aerospace in South Wales. That could be a very good news story.

“Thirdly, I’m a long way into the development of a flight training company – Real World Aviation - which will be perfectly placed to help address the aviation industry’s perennial challenge: producing new and qualified pilots. For some reason, even in difficult economic times, there is still a shortage of qualified commercial pilots

.

“I’m extremely upbeat about these opportunities, particularly the potential for a revival, in some form, of Astraeus. The removal of Icelandic ownership from the mix has removed a huge burden and barrier to the redevelopment potential. The enthusiasm is also fuelled by the deluge of messages I received from the second I switched on my phone after landing the last Astraeus flight on Monday, and, of course, the interest of a number of prospective investors.

“I will be back at the controls of a commercial airliner before I am very much older – but I may also be at the controls of the company that operates that airliner, and others like it.”

Ends

Iain Macauley

im@pressrelations.co.uk

07788 978800

HUGH PARRY RETURNS TO ASTRAEUS AIRLINES LIMITED.

ASTRAEUS AIRLINES

COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT SOURCING AND MANAGEMENT

PRESS RELEASE

October 21, 2011.

HUGH PARRY RETURNS TO ASTRAEUS AIRLINES LIMITED.

Hugh Parry, one of the founding directors of Gatwick-based aircraft management and leasing company Astraeus Airlines Limited, has returned to the business as Chief Executive.

Hugh, along with five other owner-directors, set up Astraeus in 2002 but left in 2007 to pursue ventures in India, China and across Europe. He is already in place at Astraeus’ Crawley headquarters, and takes over the role from Mario Fulgoni who left the business in August.

“It’s great to be back, and while there are exciting and challenging times across the aviation industry, Astraeus is well-placed to make the most of the environment, with an experienced and established team of people responsible for one of the most respected and reliable aircraft leasing and management offerings in the world,” said Hugh.

Hugh Parry is a UK Chartered Accountant. After qualifying with Arthur Young and working with Coopers & Lybrand and Ford Motor Company in Australia, he worked in the computer business before becoming Vice President Finance of Europe with National Semiconductors.

In 1983 he joined listed company Intasun Leisure Group plc and became a director of Air Europe in 1985, and then group finance director. Air Europe had a fleet of over 30 Boeing 757 and 737 aircraft. Following the demise of Air Europe in 1991 as a result of the Gulf War, Hugh then developed his own company – Fitzroy Aviation – which specialised in restructuring airlines around the world.

One of Fitzroy’s projects was starting British Mediterranean in 1994, which operated A320 aircraft to Beirut, Damascus and Amman. Hugh was its first Chief Executive. British Mediterranean was acquired for £30m by bmi in 2007.

Hugh has been involved at a senior level with airlines including Bahamasair, Qatar, Debonair, British World Airlines and Air Sahara in India.

Astraeus Airlines commenced operations in 2002, employs 250 people and operates a fleet of ten Boeing 737 and 757 aircraft, primarily on ACMI (aircraft, crew, maintenance, insurance) contracts with a number of airlines, including Iceland Express, Thomas Cook, Thomson and bmi. Astraeus has a worldwide Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) 180 ETOPS and is IOSA accredited. Astraeus is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Eignarhaldsfelagid Fengur HF which also owns Iceland Express.

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

+44 (0)7788 978800 / im@pressrelations.co.uk / www.flystar.com

Twitter @AEU_Astraeus

Twitter @Press-Relations

ASTRAEUS CEO FULGONI DEPARTS FOR NEW CHALLENGE

ASTRAEUS AIRLINES

COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT SOURCING AND MANAGEMENT

PRESS RELEASE

August 16, 2011.

ASTRAEUS CEO FULGONI DEPARTS FOR NEW CHALLENGE.

Mario Fulgoni, Chief Executive of Astraeus Airlines Limited Astraeus Airlines Limited, the Gatwick-based aircraft leasing and management company, is to leave the business at the end of August 2011.

“This is an entirely amicable departure, and is something which I have been considering for some time. During my stewardship, my team and I have change the Astraeus business model from charter and scheduled service operator to an aircraft sourcing and management business. This has been against the backdrop of the turbulent times for our industry, and whilst I have enjoyed the challenge immensely, I now feel I have taken the business as far as I can, and, while it sounds clichéd, I now need a new challenge,” said Mario Fulgoni.  

“I have enjoyed working closely with the Icelandic shareholders with whom I have had a good working relationship, and believe I will be leaving Astraeus well-placed in its market. 

“As a life-long aviation professional, it is likely I will be staying in the sector and will undoubtedly be maintaining contact with the business, and very likely to work with Astraeus again from time to time, in some capacity,”  said Mario.

Mario joined Astraeus Airlines Limited as a founding director in April 2002 before moving to Alpha Aviation in 2005 and returning to Astraeus to become Chief Executive in early 2008.

Pending the announcement of Mario’s successor as CEO, Astraeus Executive Chairman Skarphedinn Steinarsson will hold the post.

Astraeus Airlines operates a fleet of eleven Boeing 737 and 757 aircraft and one Airbus A320, all on contract with a number of airlines, primarily on an ACMI (aircraft, crew, maintenance, insurance) basis. During Mario’s tenure as CEO, Astraeus has achieved a worldwide Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC), 180 ETOPS and is IOSA accreditation. Astraeus is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Eignarhaldsfelagid Fengur HF which also owns Iceland Express.

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

+44 (0)7788 978800 / im@pressrelations.co.uk / www.flystar.com

Twitter @AEU_Astraeus

Statement with regard to Astraeus Airlines Limited and R E Bath Travel Services (Palmair) Limited.

Statement with regard to Astraeus Airlines Limited and R E Bath Travel Services (Palmair) Limited.

A spokesman for Astraeus Airlines Limited, said: “It is with enormous regret that Astraeus Airlines does indeed confirm the repossession one of our Boeing 737 aircraft from R E Bath Travel Services (Palmair) Limited, which had been based in Bournemouth. Efforts were made to negotiate a return of the aircraft, but these were not concluded and unfortunately, R E Bath Travel Services (Palmair) Limited was unable to honour its contractual obligations.

“Given the scale of the debt, plus the length of contract which will not now be honoured by R E Bath Travel Services (Palmair) Limited - the contract was due to run until April 2012 - we have reluctantly resorted to taking this action.

“Despite the difficulties being experienced by R E Bath Travel Services (Palmair) Limited, for which we have great sympathy, we remain hopeful that R E Bath Travel Services (Palmair) Limited or Bath Travel (its associate company) is in a position to settle the issue.” 

ASTRAEUS WET LEASES THREE BOEING 757s TO SAUDI ARABIAN AIRLINES.

ASTRAEUS AIRLINES

COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT SOURCING AND MANAGEMENT

PRESS RELEASE

October 05, 2010.

ASTRAEUS WET LEASES THREE BOEING 757s TO SAUDI ARABIAN AIRLINES.

Gatwick-based Astraeus is to wet lease three Boeing 757-200s to Saudi Arabian Airlines.

The aircraft will commence operations for Saudi in October 2010, and will be retained until the end of December 2010, primarily to support massive demand for seats during the Hajj, the world’s biggest pilgrimage.

The wet lease arrangement means that Astraeus will provide crew and full management of the aircraft, which will be based in Jeddah.

“This is the second Hajj contract with Saudi Arabian Airlines, and a fantastic endorsement of our ability: the Hajj is a hugely important religious event, and as such it is a contract we need to deliver with the utmost sensitivity and respect for the occasion,” said Shaun Monnery of Astraeus.

“The expertise and experience of the Astraeus team along with the reputation we have established in supporting a number of airlines around the world was clearly a strong influence in our retention of this contract.”

The entire fleet – bar one ad hoc aircraft - is committed on dry, damp or wet lease to airlines around the world, and is sourcing more to address further opportunities.

Astraeus Airlines commenced operations in 2002, employs 250 people and operates a fleet of eleven Boeing 737 and 757 aircraft and one Airbus A320, primarily on contract with a number of airlines, including ACMI. Astraeus has a worldwide Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) and is IOSA accredited. Astraeus is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Eignarhaldsfelagid Fengur HF which also owns Iceland Express.

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

+44 (0)7788 978800 / im@pressrelations.co.uk / www.flystar.com

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CAPTAIN BRUCE DICKINSON, IRON MAIDEN LEAD-SINGER, APPOINTED TO ASTRAEUS AIRLINES FRONT-MAN ROLE.

ASTRAEUS AIRLINES

COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT SOURCING AND MANAGEMENT

PRESS RELEASE

September 15, 2010.

CAPTAIN BRUCE DICKINSON, IRON MAIDEN LEAD-SINGER, APPOINTED TO ASTRAEUS AIRLINES FRONT-MAN ROLE.

Photos here.

Iron Maiden lead singer Bruce Dickinson has been given a new front-man role with UK-based Astraeus Airlines.

Bruce, who has flown 7,000 hours on Astraeus Boeing 737 and 757 aircraft, is to take on the newly-created mantle of marketing director for the company, with whom he is a captain currently flying 757s. Astraeus provides aircraft on dry-, damp- and wet-lease contracts to airlines around the world.

Bruce will be working with Astraeus second-in-command, Chief Commercial Officer and Director of Leasing Shaun Monnery, who is dealing with a year-on-year three-fold order book increase.

Shaun Monnery said: “My role has historically been split between developing relationships, managing the aircraft sourcing and placement process, and communicating the Astraeus proposition.

“Such has been the growth in the business that we’re increasing the commercial team and have also commandeered Bruce to represent Astraeus and take some workload from me, plus get involved in events where we’d benefit from a presence that we simply haven’t previously had the capacity to cope with.

“Bruce is well qualified: he is a great communicator, he knows the aviation industry inside-out from both technical and commercial perspectives, and, crucially, in a demanding industry he is a man who can cope with pressure -whether as a 757 captain or in front of 50,000 Iron Maiden fans, or senior airline and aviation managers.

“He was also key in pulling together Iron Maiden’s world tour transport – one of our very own Boeing 757s - so he knows what it’s like to be both provider and customer.”

Bruce said: “This isn’t about appointing ad agencies or anything like that, this is a marketing role aimed at delivering the Astraeus message and business proposition directly to what is a relatively tight and targeted audience of people and decision-makers in aviation, and delivering that message in a way that is effective and appropriate to them.

“These guys don’t want ads, they want relevant contact, creative communication and a demonstration that we have, can and do provide just about any commercial aviation solution.

“We source and provide commercial aircraft, and a great deal of our success is getting face-to-face with the people who make decisions about very big deals. I’m a communicator, clearly I have a background in creative media, and I’m an airline captain, so it all makes great sense and I relish the challenge.

“It is an ambassador role to an extent, but such has been the growth of the business – we are dealing with three times as many aircraft placements as a year ago – that Shaun simply had to find more time to manage the demand. I’m delighted to step in and put myself on another kind of world stage”.

Astraeus Airlines commenced operations in 2002, employs 250 people and operates a fleet of eleven Boeing 737 and 757 aircraft and one Airbus A320, primarily on contract with a number of airlines, including ACMI. Astraeus has a worldwide Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) and is IOSA accredited. Astraeus is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Eignarhaldsfelagid Fengur HF which also owns Iceland Express.

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

+44 (0)7788 978800 / im@pressrelations.co.uk / www.flystar.com

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pressrelations/sets/72157624092438508/

Astraeus Airlines Captain Bruce Dickinson flies the Space Shuttle.

http://article.wn.com/view/2010/06/23/Iron_Maiden_takes_Flight_of_Icarus_in_NASAs_space_shuttle_si/